Relatives and friends of Devin Petelski say that LAPD is to blame for her Los Angeles car accident death. The 25-year-old motor vehicle crash victim sustained fatal injuries when her BMW was struck by a speeding police cruiser at a Venice, California intersection on October 15. She died two days later.
The officers who were in the cruiser sustained minor injuries. They were heading toward the scene of a burglary.
The LAPD is still investigating the Los Angeles traffic crash. The vehicle's sirens and flashing lights were not activated when the deadly collision happened. A preliminary police report does note that the vehicle's headlights were activated. Petelski's camp, however, believes otherwise. They claim that the flashing lights, headlights, and sirens were all off.
The LAPD recently made it police policy that cops activate their lights and sirens any time they are speeding so that pedestrians and other motorists are made aware that a cruiser is moving at a speed faster than the posted limited.
Speeding
Speeding is one of the most common causes of fatal US car crashes. This is why there are speed limits posted on all streets and freeways. Motorists are supposed to obey the posted speed limit and drive slower than the posted speed limit if that is what is required to prevent a California car crash from happening, such as during severe weather conditions or in heavy traffic.
While emergency workers and law enforcement officials may have to speed to a destination during certain emergencies, this does not mean that they can carelessly endanger other people's lives when traveling to the scene of a crime or a health emergency or an accident.
Speeding gives a motorist less time to stop the car in order to avoid become involved in a traffic crash. It also can intensify the impact of collision when a speed-related car crash does happen.
Family and friends blame LAPD for woman's death in Venice crash, Los Angeles Times, November 20, 2009
Woman In Crash With LAPD Laid To Rest; Questions Remain, LA Weekly, November 20, 2009
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